Type composing apparatus



1964 R. A. HIGONNET ETAL $117,502

TYPE COIIPOSINGAPPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 21, 1953 FILM CARRIAGE FLASH DELAY CIRCUIT No.1

INVENTORS RENE A. HIGONNET LOUIS M.MOYROUD ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 3,117,502 Patented Jan. 14, 1964 3,117,502 TYPE COMPOSING APPARATUS Ren A. Higonnet, 136 Brattle St., Cambridge, Mass., and Louis M. Moyroud, 50 Brooks St., West Medford, Mass.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 332,312, Jan. 21, 1953. This application Dec. 10, 1956, Ser. No. 627,501

Claims priority, application Great Britain Jan. 23, 1952 29 Claims. (Cl. 95--4.5)

The present invention relates to type composing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus employing a continuously moving sheet carriage and means for transcribing the selected characters in each line of type successively upon the sheet. The intervals of time between the transcriptions of successive characters are varied according to the widths of the characters.

This application is a continuation of our copending application Serial No. 332,312, filed January 21, 1953, now abandoned.

Heretofore, the various forms of apparatus most commonly employed in photographic type compositions have included a film carriage adapted to advance a sheet of film in discrete movements, the amount of each movement being determined by a variable escapement mechanism or the like. The characters have been transcribed by projection upon the film in the intervals between movements of the film carriage. Examples of such apparatus are given in our copending applications, Serial No. 610,336, filed August 11, 1945, now abandoned, and Serial No. 770,320, filed August 23, 1947, now Patent No. 2,790,362.

According to the above applications, the character projection apparatus employs a continuously moving character carrier, an optical system for focusing an image of a selected character at a fixed projection position with respect to which the film carriage is movable, and an intermittent flash device such as a gas-filled tube having a timing circuit by means of which the tube is flashed for an extremely brief interval of time when the selected character is properly positioned in the optical system. At the time of the projection, the film is stationary as stated above, but the character carrier is moving at considerable speed. It is therefore necessary that the duration of the flash of light should be very short in order to produce a sharp image of the moving character. This requirement entails a certain amount of complexity of apparatus and resultant cost, inasmuch as the requirements of type composition cannot be satisfactorily met unless the flash circuit can project a large number of characters in succession without a single failure. It has been found, moreover, that the possibility of failure of the projection system could be'greatly reduced if it were possible to increase the time of exposure by an appreciable amount.

Additional complication and expense are also encountered in connection with the apparatus for moving the film carriage. Since in the above-mentioned machines the film carriage is moved in discrete steps, a variable escapement of one form or another is usually employed. These escapements are required to have considerable precision of movement and sufficient speed to exceed the typing rate of the most skilled keyboard operator. An almost unavoidable concomitant of such an escapement is a certain amount of noise in operation, which may be objectionable under certain conditions.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide type composing apparatus 'in which the spacing between successive characters in a line can be accomplished without employing a variable escapement mechanism or other equivalent intermittently operated mechanism which is noisy in operation and expensive to construct.

Another object is to provide type composing apparatus adapted for use with photographic character projection means employing character exposures of longer duration than is permissible in the machines disclosed in the abovedescribed applications.

Another object is to provide type composing apparatus adapted to be used with the keyboards and registers described in the above-mentioned applications. Such apparatus should be of simple design, of great dependability, and preferably without components requiring extreme precision and control in manufacture.

Still another object is to provide type composing apparatus of a form readily adapted to the requirements of justification.

With the above objects in view, the principal feature of the invention is the employment of a sheet carriage adapted to be moved continuously in a direction parallel to the line of type during the transcription of each line. An optical system selects the desired characters one at a time and projects or transcribes them to a fixed image position in the plane of the sensitized sheet or film. The interval of time between successive projections or transcriptions is controlled, preferably by a register or memory device, according to the widths of the selected characters.

Another feature is the employment of a counting device adapted to be preset by the register, and impulse generating means adapted to produce impulses at regular intervals to cause advancement of the counter, whereby the counter produces a carry-over signal from its highest order stage after a predetermined number of impulses corresponding to the width of a selected character. The carry-over signal is amplified and used to energize a flash tube or similar device in the character projection or transcription equipment. The duration of the photographic flash may be much greater than that permitted in the devices of our above applications, since the only motion causing blur is the relatively slow motion of the film carriage.

According to another feature of the invention, the particular character which is projected to the fixed image position may be determined by a register and a plurality of solenoid-operated coded shutter cylinders.

Still another feature is an arrangement whereby the impulses used for advancing the counter are synchronized with the movement of the film carriage, causing the impulses to occur at discrete, predetermined moments when corresponding portions of the sensitized film are presented in the image position.

Other features of the invention comprise certain details of structure, circuitry, arrangements and modes of operation hereinafter more fully described and specifically defined in the claims.

The appended drawing illustrates one embodiment of the invention as incorporated in a photographic type composing machine.

Referring to the drawing, we provide a non-justifying typewriter 2 of the type commonly in use, and preferably having an electrically operated key mechanism. To this typewriter we connect a set of coded permutation bars similar to those employed in teleprinter circuits, as described in our above-mentioned copending application, Serial No. 770,320. These permutation bars are connected through a cable 4 with a recording unit 6, movably disposed in relation to a register 8 by reason of a physical connection with the platen carriage 10 of the typewriter, as schematically illustrated. The register may be of any suitable type, but the illustrated form is assumed to consist of a fiat vertical bed supporting rows and columns of depressable and retractable spring-retained pins. The recording unit 6 comprises a series of vertically disposed, magnetically depressable hammers adapted to register with the pins in one column of the register at a time.

There is a column for each character and space in the line. Refinements of the construction of the recording unit also include sensing means and means for retracting selected pins for the purpose of correcting erroneously typed characters prior to their transcription. After a line has been recorded a reading unit 12, which is movable by a ratchet 14 and pawl 16 linked with the movable core of a solenoid 18, is moved independently of the recording unit to sense the depressed pins and send the corresponding information to the transcribing apparatus. over a cable 20.

The entire assembly heretofore described may be constructed substantially as described in our above-mentioned copending applications, Serial No. 610,336 and Serial No. 770,320, now Patent No. 2,790,362. As stated, the characters are preferably recorded in the form of a code. In the illustrated embodiment, each character is represented by a combination of 8 code digits, each digit being of the binary form, that is, having two discrete conditions designated as and 1. Four of the digits, designated as the A group, characterize the width of the character in the form of a binary number. It will be apparent that the four digits permit representation of any character width from 0 to 15 units. The remaining four digits of the representation are used for the purpose of distinguishing between the several characters of like width as well as for auxiliary purposes which for present purposes are of no importance.

- The reading nuit 12 is adapted to read or sense the characters one at a time, and to retract the pins to their zero positions after they have been sensed to permit the recording of new characters. The reading unit is connected through leads 22 to 36 to a set of eight electromagnets 38 to 52, each of which is grounded at one terminal. These electromagnets form a part on the character selection and projection apparatus hereinafter to be more fully descriebd. The leads 22 to 28 are also connected with a set of relays 54 to 60, each of which is also grounded at one terminal. The leads 22' to 28 correspond with the A group of digits representing the binary width of the number which has been read or sensed. The lead 22 represents the lowest order digit and the lead 28 represents the highest order digit.

We also provide a binary counter 62 having four stages, and preset leads 64 to 70 connected therewith. Any suitable binary counter circuit may be employed for the illustrated purpose. It should be provided with the ordinary carry-over connections 71 from stage to stage and a lead 72 from the last stage to a reset circuit in each stage to cause the counter to be reset to zero upon a carry-over from the highest order stage when the counter advances its count from 15 which represents its maximum capacity. The leads 64 to 70 are connected through contacts of the relays 54 to 60 to a common lead 74. The contacts of the relays, when unenergized, are normally closed. The circuits of the counter are arranged to cause each stage to reach the 1 position if a signal voltage, to be applied to the lead 74 when the counter is in the reset condition, is connected to the stage through the closed contacts of the corresponding relay. If the contacts are opened by energization of the relay, the corresponding stage remains in its former or zero position after the signal voltage reaches the lead 74. Thus, it may be seen that the effect of the relays is to preset the counter upon the arrival of the signal impulse on the lead 74, entering into it the number which is the difference between 15 (the highest number which can be recorded in the counter) and the width of the particular character represented by the voltages on the leads 22 to 28. (It is assumed throughout this description that the presence of a voltage on one of the leads 22 to 28 represents the digit 1, while the absence of such voltage indicates the digit 0.)

For example, if the width of a character is ten units, the reading unit 12 will connect a voltage to the leads 24 and 28, representing respectively 2 and 8. This will ca se energization of the-relays 56 and 60 and the opening of the corresopnding relay contacts, as shown in the drawing. Upon arrival of the signal voltage on the lead 74 in a manner hereinafter to be described, said voltage is connected through the closed contacts of the relays 54 and 58 to the leads 64 and 68, respectively. This causes the 1 and 4 stages of the counter to move to their 1 positions, while the remaining two stages remain in their 0 positions. The counter then represents the number 5, or 15 minus 10.

Carry-over signals from the highest order stage of the labeled 80, which provides a path to the input circuit of the lowest order stage of the counter.

Input impulses for advancing the counter are applied to a lead 81 by any suitable form of impulse generating means, illustrated in this instance by a photoelectric arrangement, including a motor 82 continuously driving a worm 84 rigidly secured to its shaft and an opaque disk 86 having equally spaced .translucent slits arranged in a circle. A continuous light source 88 and condenser lens 90 transmit light through each slit in succsesion to a photocell 92 connected with an impulse amplifier 94. The amplifier sends the amplified impulses to the lead 81. Various other arrangements for accomplishing the same purpose will occur to those skilled in the art, the particular form being a matter of choice in the practice of the invention. The same motor 82 which drives the slit disk 86 is also preferably coupled through the worm 84 with a gear 96, the gear being secured to a stud shaft 98 having secured thereto a pinion 100 engageable with a rack 102. The rack 102 is secured to the film carriage. The film carriage is preferably constructed in the general manner described in our above-mentioned application Serial No. 770,320, in which the sensitized film takes the form of a strip with perforations near the edges, wound over a pair of rollers of which only the upper roller 108 is illustrated in the figure. Mechanism is provided for rotating the rollers to space the lines of type, while movement of the film carriage in a direction parallel to the lines of type produces the spacing between the successive characters in each line. Thus, it will be seen that the film carriage 104 is continuously moved during the transcription of each line by the motor 82, and that the impulses generated by the photocell 92 in synchronisrn therewith are continuously applied .to the counter through the lead 81.

The characters to be projected are mounted in an annular ring, preferably as transparencies upon an opaque drum 110. The drum is rigidly secured by threaded nuts 112 to a pedestal 114 upon which is also supported a lens support 116 having as many lenses 118 mounted therein as there are characters in the ring. The lens support 116,

is rigidly secured to the pedestal by the threaded nuts 120. The optical axes of the lenses 118 pass through their respective characters and also through a point P, designated as the image position, where the images of the characters are formed in the plane of the sensitized film. The planes of the character transparencies and the film are at right angles, and each forms an angle of 45 with the optical axis of the lens. Since the planes of the object and image are in the same angular relationship with the optical axis, it will be apparent to those skilled in the optical art that every point of the image will be in focus upon the film, but that it will be distorted with respect to the character transparency, since certain parts of the image will be magnified to a greater extent than others. This results from the tilt of the object with respect to the optical axis. To compensate for the distortion of the image, the character transparencies themselves are distorted in an opposite fashion to produce characters of the correct size and shape upon the film 106. Various refinements of the projection system may include provision for a plurality of annular rings of characters on the drum 110, and means for shifting the drum axially to present the lenses to a desired ring of characters, thereby permitting a rapid change of font. Also, a lens turret or equivalent structuremay be interposed at the point P to provide means for changing the magnification of the images in accordance with the required changes in the dimensions or point sizes of the characters.

It will be understood, however, that the particular form of projection apparatus represented in the FIGURE merely illustrates one possible embodiment of the transscription apparatus. Any character transcription apparatus adapted to select a particular character in the font, and to project or otherwise transcribe its image at a fixed point P when the exposure flash is initiated may be used.

In the described embodiment the exposure flash is produced by an annular-shaped flash tube 122 surrounding the character drum 110, and being separated therefrom by eight code cylinders 124 to 138 concentric with the pedestal 114. Each of these cylinders is opaque except for a number of small holes arranged circumferentially in two adjacent rings in a pattern according to a code. Each cylinder is movable axially to either of two positions by reason of a mechanical connection with one of the solenoids 38 to 52. Thus, the outer cylinder 124 is in the upper position as show in the FIGURE, a position which it occupies when the solenoid 38 is unenergized. The adjacent cylinder 126 is in its lower" position, corresponding to the energized condition of the solenoid 40. The FIGURE illustrates the condition in which the solenoids 40, 44 and 46 are energized and the remaining solenoids are unenergized.

IAS previously stated, each of the code cylinders 124 to 138 contains two annular rings of holes. One ring is in line with the characters on the drum 110 when the drum is in its upper position, while the other is in line with the character when the drum is in its lower position. Thus, it may be seen that by properly encoding the transparent holes in the cylinders it is possible to arrange that a continuous path from the annular lamp 122 to a particular character transparency is provided only when a corresponding combination of the solenoids 38 to 52 is energized. Thus, when the exposure flash occurs the only character which is projected is that for which the condition illustrated in the FIGURE obtains, namely, that a continuous light path from the tube to he character is created by the coded holes in the cylinder 124 to 138.

The operation of the apparatus will next be described.

It is assumed that the operator has recorded a complete line of characters and word spaces by typing the same on the nonjusti-fying typewriter 2, and has viewed the line as typed by said typewriter, making any necessary corrections in the register as described in our abovementioned copending application Ser. No. 770,320.

Transcription is initiated with the reading unit 12 positioned at the extreme right-hand end of the register 8, which is the position in which the first character of the line is recorded. Sensing means in the reading unit 12, operating as described in our above application, connect a voltage to a selected combination of the leads 22 to 36 corresponding to the character. It is assumed that the voltage is sustained on these leads until the reading unit moves to the next character position, which may be accomplished if desired by means of intermediate holding relays in a manner well understood in the art. The corresponding combination of the solenoids 38 to 52 is energized, thereby moving a certain combination of the code cylinders 124 to 138 to their lower position. This pre- 6 pares the projection apparatus to form the image of the selected character at the point P upon the film 106 when the flash tube 122 is subsequently energized.

Photoelectric impulses passing over the lead 81 to the counter 62 causes the count to progress up to 15, with the following or 16th impu-lse causing a carry over from the highest order stage to the flash circuit 76, thereby triggering the flash tube 122 and resetting the counter. The code cylinders 124 to 138 having reached their positions as heretofore described, the exposure flash projects the selected character upon the film. As previously stated, this flash may be of appreciably longer duration than that which is required in the types of character projection apparatus in which the characters are continuously moving at considerable speed through the projection position.

Following a brief delay caused by the circuit 78, the flash signal is sent to the lead 74 where it energizes the solenoid 18 to advance the reading unit 12, and travels through the selected combination of the contacts of the relays 54 to 60 to the respective stages of the counter. In the assumed example, the relays 56 and 60 are energized, being in parallel, respectively, with the solenoids 40 and 44. Therefore, the l and 4 stages of the counter are each preset to l, causing the counter to read 5.

A further delay follows the preset operation, after which the impulse on the lead 74 passes through the circuit to the lowest order stage of the counter 62, causing it to advance to the valve 6. It is assumed that the delay circuits 78 and 80 are so designed that the advancement of the counter 62 by reason of the impulse from the circuit 80 will occur before the first photoelectric impulse following the exposure flash. Since characters of only one unit of width do not exist in the ordinary font, it would be possible to have the delay extend beyond the arrival of this impulse, but enormous results would be produced if the delayed impulse were coincident with it, and in any case appropriate steps to avoid this possible occurrence must be taken.

The tenth succeeding photoelectric impulse again causes the counter 62 to carry over to the flash circuit. In the meantime, the film carriage will have moved during the interval between the flashes through a multiple of the distance moved between two successive photoelectric impulses measured by the number of impulses needed to cause the succeeding flash.

It will be apparent that the advancement of the reading unit 12 of the register to the next position must have taken place with sufficient speed to permit the energization of the new combination of the solenoids 38 to 52 for the succeeding character before the arrival of the tenth photoelectric impulse as described above. The speed requirement is even greater if the preceding character is one of small width, such as the lower case 1'. According to one system this character is assigned a width of 5 units, which means that the fifth succeeding photoelectric impulse after the character 1' is projected will produce the succeeding flash.

In the case of a word space, after the last character of a word is projected, the counter counts a number of impulses corresponding to the width of the character, after which the reading unit 12 will have reached a position in the register corresponding to a word space. The code representation for the word space is such that the corresponding combination of the solenoids 38 to 52 preferably does not open any light path through the code cylinders 124 to 138. Thus, when the counter produces a carryadapt the device to a machne in which the lines are justified. This entails an extra step, whereby the projection of a character following a word space is delayed not only by the recorded width of the preceding character and the word space, but also by a further value represented in binary form in a justifier. An appropriate form of justifier is described in our copending application, Ser. No. 70,472, filed January 12,1949, now Patent No. 2,682,814. An arrangement is provided whereby the next carry-over impulse from the 8 stage of the counter following the counting of a word space width is switched from the flash circuit to a circuit in the justifier, whereby the counter is preset from the justifier in a manner similar to that heretofore described, and an additional count corresponding to the desired justification increment is made before a carryover impulse reaches the flash circuit 76 to expose the first character of the next word.

In certain special instances, it -is desired to project a character having zero width. A square outline surrounding the capital letter at the start of each paragraph for purposes of decoration may serve as an example. Because of the continuous motion of the film carriage it is not possible to project the capital letter and the square outline successively unless two image positions such as P are provided. This would entail considerable expense. Another solution would be to have a separate set of characters on the drum 110 consisting of each of the capital letters surrounded by the square outline. This is also undesirable because of the required increase in the dimensions of the drum and the number of lenses 118. According to a simpler arrangement, the code system is modified to project both the square outline and the selected character simultaneously by providing two light paths through the code cylinders, rather than only one as is usually the case.

It will be understood that other modifications and arrangements of the described apparatus, as well as variations in details of design and additions to or alterations thereof in a manner familiar to those skilled in the art, can be made in accordance with specific requirements without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Type composing apparatus including the combination of means to represent successively information corresponding to each character and space in a line, said information including a binary representation of its width, a support for a sensitized sheet, mechanism for moving the support continuously to cause successive portions of the :sheet to pass through a fixed image position, a plurality of characters, a source of illumination for the characters, means associated with said representing means to select said characters successively for illumination, means to form an image of each selected character in said position, a binary counter, presetting switches associated with said representing means and intermittently operable to set the counter t6 the difference between its capacity and said binary representation for each character width, impulse generating means to advance the counter at uniform intervals until the capacity thereof is reached, said counter having a carry-over circuit having provision to receive the impulse next succeeding that which advances the counter to capacity and to utilize said signal to reset the counter and to energize said source, and first and second delay circuits connected to the carry-over circuit, the first circuit being adapted after a delay following said impulse to operate the presetting means, and the second circuit being adapted after a further delay to advance the counter one step.

2. Type composing apparatus including the combination of means to represent successively information corresponding to each character and space in a line, said information including a representationof its width, a support for a sensitized sheet, mechanism for moving the support continuously to cause successive portions of the 8 sheet to pass through a fixed image position, a plurality of characters, a source of illumination for the characters,

means associated with said representing means to select said characters successively for illumination, means to form an image of each selected character in said position, a counter, presettingswitches associated with said representing means and intermittently operable to set the counter to the difference between its capacity and said representation of each character width, impulse generating means to advance the counter at uniform intervals until a predetermined count is reached, said counter hav ing a carry-over circuit having provision to receive the impulse next succeeding that which advances the counter to said predetermined count and to utilize said signal to reset the counter and to energize said source, and first and second delay circuits connected to the carry-over circuit, the first circuit being adapted to operate the presetting means after a delay following said impulse, and the second circuit being adapted to advance the counter one step after a further delay.

3. Type composing apparatus including the combination of means to represent successively information corresponding to each character and space in a line, said information including a representation of its width, a support for a sensitized sheet, mechanism for moving the support continuously to cause successive portions of the sheet to pass through a fixed image position, a plurality of characters, a source of illumination for the characters, means associated with said representing means to select said characters successively for illumination, means to form an image of each selected character in said position, a counter, presetting switches associated with said representing means and intermittently operable to set the counter to the difference between its capacity and said representation of each character width, impulse generatingmeans operable in timed relation to said mechanism to advance the counter at uniform intervals until a predetermined count is reached, said counter having a carry-over circuit having provision to receive the impulse next succeeding that which advances the counter to said predetermined count and to utilize sid signal to reset the counter and to energize said source, and first and second delay circuits connected to the carry-over circuit, the first circuit being adapted to operate the presetting means after a delay following said impulse, and the second circuit being adapted to advance the counter one step after a further delay.

4. Type composing apparatus including the combination of means to represent successively information corresponding to each character and space in a line, said information including a representation of its width, a support for a sensitized sheet, mechanism for moving the support continuously to cause successive portions of the sheet to pass through a fixed image position, a plurality of characters, a source of illumination for the characters, means associated with said representing means to select said characters successively for illumination, means to form an image of each selected character in said position, a counter, presetting switches associated with said representing means and intermittently operable to set the counter to the difference between its capacity and said representation of each character width, impulse generating means operable in timed relation to said mechanism to advance the counterat uniform intervals until a predetermined count is reached, sa'id counter having a carry-over circuit having provision to receive the impulse next succeeding that which advances the counter to said predetermined count and to utilize said signal to reset the counter and to energize said source, and a delay circuit connected to the carry-over circuit and adapted to operate the presetting means after a delay following said impulse.

5. Type composing apparatus having, in combination, a support for a sensitized sheet, a support for a number of characters to be projected while in fixed position, optical means adapted to project any character to a common fixed image position, continuously moving mechanism for caus ing the images of successive characters to be formed on successive portions of the sheet, a flash illumination device for illuminating the characters, shutter means to permit only a selected character to be projected to said position, a counter, impulse generating means operating in timed relation to said mechanism to step the counter, means to store in the counter a number corresponding to the width of the selected character, and a circuit connected to the counter to operate said illumination device at substantially the instant when the counter receives a number of impulses proportional to said width.

6. Type composing apparatus having, in combination, a support for a sensitized sheet, a support for a number of characters to be projected while in fixed position, optical means adapted to project any character to a common fixed image position, continuously moving mechanism for causing the images of successive characters to be formed on successive portions of the sheet, a source fo illumination for the characters, shutter means to permit only a selected character to be projected to said position, a counter, impulse generating means operating in timed relation to said mechanism to step the counter, preset means for the counter to store a number therein corresponding to the difference between a predetermined number and the width of the selected character, and a circuit to activate said source when the counter reaches said predetermined number.

7. Type composing apparatus having, in combination, a support for a sensitized sheet, a support for a number of characters to be projected while in fixed position, optical means adapted to project any character to a common fixed image position, continuously moving mechanism for causing the images of successive characters to be formed on successive portions of the sheet, a source of illumination for the characters, selector means for selecting a character to be projected, shutter means operated by the selector means to permit only the selected character to be projected to said position, a counter, impulse generating means operating in timed relation to said mechanism to step the counter, preset means for the counter operated by the selector means to store a number in the counter corresponding to the difference between a predetermined number and the width of the selected character, and a circuit to activate said source when the counter reaches said predetermined number.

8. Type composing apparatus having, in combination, a register for storing information corresponding to a line of written matter, reading means for the register, a support for a sensitized sheet, a support for a number of characters to be projetced while in fixed position, optical means adapted to project any character to a common fixed image position, continuously moving mechanism for causing the images of successive characters to be formed on successive portions of the sheet, a source of illumination for the characters, coded shutter means operated by the reading means to permit only a selected character to be projected to said position, a counter, impulse generating means operating in timed relation to said mechanism to step the counter, preset means operated by the reading means to store in the counter a number corresponding to the difference between a predetermined number and a number corresponding to the width of the selected character, and a circuit to activate said source when the counter reaches said predetermined number, whereby said shutter means prepares the optical path for said character before said source is activated.

9. In photographic type composing apparatus, the combination of a stationary support bearing characters of variable widths to be photographed, optical means for the characters adapted to focus their images in a common photographing position, a flash device to illuminate the characters, shutter means to permit only the light from a selected character to reach said position, means to support a sensitized sheet in position to receive an image formed in said position, a carriage having means to cause continuous movement of the sheet relative to the images received thereon, and apparatus to operate the shutter means and to energize the flash device alternately, the flash device being energized at time intervals proportional to the variable widths of the selected characters, said apparatus including a counter, a source of uniform impulses operating in timed relation to said means to cause continuous movement to advance the counter, and a circuit connected to the counter to energize the flash device when the counter receives a number of impulses proportional to the width of said selected character.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein the flash device is energized after each opening of the shutter means.

11. The combination according to claim 9, wherein the counter is a binary counter.

12. The combination according to claim 9, wherein the shutter means comprise a plurality of coded movable shutter members which are individually movable between an operative and an inoperative positioniunder the control of a binary code.

V 13. The combination according to claim 9, wherein the optical means comprise an array of lenses each corresponding to a character.

14. The combination according to claim 9, wherein the source of uniform impulses includes a light source, a photocell and a member moving in timed relation with the carriage and having a series of markings to cause corresponding interruptions in the light reaching the photocell.

15. In photographic type composing apparatus, the combination of a stationary support bearing characters of variable widths to be photographed, optical means for the characters adapted to focus their images in a common photographing position, a flash device to illuminate the characters, shutter means to permit only the light from a selected character to reach said position, means to sup port a sensitized sheet in position to receive an image formed in said position, a carriage having means to cause continuous movement of the sheet relative to the images.

received thereon, and apparatus to operate the shutter means and to energize the flash device alternately, including a storage device for information corresponding to each character including its width value, sensing means for the storage device, a counter, connections from the sensing means to operate the shutter means to select a character and to store in the counter a number corresponding to the width value of said character, a source of uniform pulses occurring in timed relation to the movement of said sheet to advance the counter, and means operated by the counter to energize the flash device at the instant when the counter has been advanced by a count proportional to said width value.

16. In photographic type composing apparatus, the combination of a stationary support bearing characters of variable widths to be photographed, optical means for the characters adapted to focus their images in a common photographing position, a flash device to illuminate the characters, shutter means to permit only the light from a selected character to reach said position, means to support a sensitized sheet in position to receive an image formed in said position, a carriage having means to cause continuous movement of the sheet relative to the images received thereon, and apparatus to operate the shutter means and to energize the flash device alternately, including a storage device for information corresponding to each character including its width value, means to sense the stored information and to operate the shutter means, a counter, means to generate a pulse at the instant that each of a plurality of equally-spaced portions of the sheet is in image-receiving position, the pulses advancing the counter, connections from the sensing means to store in the counter a number corresponding to said width 11 value, and means operated by the counter to'energize the flash device when the counter has been advanced by a count proportional to said width value.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 in WhlCh the source of pulses includes a member engaged with the carriage and provided with a plurality of light apertures, and photoelectric pulse-generating means operatively associated with said apertures.

18. In photographic type composing apparatus, the combination of memory means in which coded information corresponding to a line of type is stored, said mformation including a numerical representation of the width of each character and space, reading means for the memory means, means to advance said reading means relative to the memory means and into operative relation with successive positions therein representing successive selected characters and spaces in the line, means to support a plurality of selectable characters of different width in fixed position, projection means for the characters adapted to focus their images in a common photographing position, a flash device to illuminate the characters, selection means operated by the reading means to prepare said projection means to cause the light from a selected character to reach said position, means to support a sensitized sheet to receive an image formed in said position, a carriage having means to cause continuous movement of the sheet relative to the images formed thereon, a counter, impulse generating means synchronized with said last-mentioned means to advance the counter, connections from said reading means to the counter to cause the counter to emit a signal when the number of impulses received thereby corresponds to the numerical representation of a character width in the memory means, and connections to permit said signal to energize the flash device.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, in which the sensitized sheet is mounted on a continuously movable carriage having rotatable drive means, the impulse generating means being operatively associated by the drive means.

20. Apparatus according to claim 18, in which the signal generated by the counter operates the means for advancing the reading means relative to the memory means to cause sensing of the next character or space in the line. 7

21. Apparatus according to claim 18, in which the connections from the reading means to the counter are adapted to preset it to a count corresponding to the width of a selected character.

22. Apparatus according to claim 18, in which the selection means comprise shutter solenoids and the connections from the reading means to the counter include a group of relays operatively associated with the stages of the counter and connected in parallel with the shutter solenoids.

23. Apparatus according to claim 18, in which the signal generated by the counter presets the counter according to the width of the character last projected and the flash device is energized after each opening of the shutter means.

25. The combination according to claim 18, wherein the counter is a binary counter.

26. The combination according to claim 18, wherein the shutter means comprise a plurality of coded movable shutter members which-are individually movable between an operative and an inoperative position under the control of a binary code.

27. The combination according to claim 18, wherein the optical means comprise an array of lenses each corresponding to a character.

28. The combination according to claim 18, wherein the source of uniform impulses includes a light source, a photocell and a member moving in timed relation with the carriage and having a series of markings to cause corresponding interruptions in the light reaching the photocell.

29. In photographic type composing apparatus, the combination of a memory device to represent information corresponding to the selected characters of variable widths in a line of type including their widths in numerical form, reading means for the memory device adapted to sense said information a character at a time, a stationary support bearing the characters to be photographed, optical means for the characters adapted to focus their images in a common photographing position,

means to support a sensitized sheet in position to receive an image formed in said position, a mechanism adapted to cause the sheet to move relative to said position at a uniform rate, a flash device to illuminate the characters, selection means associated with the reading means to permit the light from a selected character to reach said position, a counter, impulse generating means synchronized with said mechanism to advance the counter, energizing means associated with the counter to energize the flash device, means associated with the reading means to cause the counter to operate said energizing means upon receiving a number of impulses proportional to the width of said selected character, and means to advance said reading means to sense the information corresponding to the next character in the memory device during the time interval in which the counter is receiving impulses for the character preceding it.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,527 Uher Sept. 23, 1930 2,714,841 Demer Aug. 9, 1955 2,714,842 Hooven Aug. 9, 1955 2,714,843 Hooven Aug. 9, 1955 

5. TYPE COMPOSING APPARATUS HAVING, IN COMBINATION, A SUPPORT FOR A SENSITIZED SHEET, A SUPPORT FOR A NUMBER OF CHARACTERS TO BE PROJECTED WHILE IN FIXED POSITION, OPTICAL MEANS ADAPTED TO PROJECT ANY CHARACTER TO A COMMON FIXED IMAGE POSITION, CONTINUOUSLY MOVING MECHANISM FOR CAUSING THE IMAGES OF SUCCESSIVE CHARACTERS TO BE FORMED ON SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF THE SHEET, A FLASH ILLUMINATION DEVICE FOR ILLUMINATING THE CHARACTERS, SHUTTER MEANS TO PERMIT ONLY A SELECTED CHARACTER TO BE PROJECTED TO SAID POSITION, A COUNTER, IMPULSE GENERATING MEANS OPERATING IN TIMED RELATION TO SAID MECHANISM TO STEP THE COUNTER, MEANS TO STORE IN THE COUNTER A NUMBER CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH OF THE SELECTED CHARACTER, AND A CIRCUIT CONNECTED TO THE COUNTER TO OPERATE SAID ILLUMINATION DEVICE 